...A line from the book "Peace Like River" by Leif Enger. I want to bear witness to the things I've seen and the ways God moves in my life, and you can make of it what you will.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Favorite Quote

C.S. Lewis didn't use the phrase "follower of Christ," but I think that's the idea he's getting at here. He refers to "the Christian life," and distinguishes the difference between that and just being a "decent chap." I love the way he suggests here that surrendering our selves is a process, and he gives some practical, first steps to take.

"That is why the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.

We can only do it for moments at first. But from those moments the new sort of life will be spreading through our system: because now we are letting Him work at the right part of us. It is the difference between paint, which is merely laid on the surface, and a dye or stain which soaks right through. He never talked vague, idealistic gas. When he said, 'Be perfect,' He meant it. He meant that we must go in for the full treatment. It is hard; but the sort of compromise we are all hankering after is harder--in fact, it is impossible. It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad." C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity

2 comments:

MMM,mmm,mmmm. Remember Beth Moore would hum that when she read something so cool? Wow! I have experienced the "wild animal rush", I prefer the "coming in out of the wind". Definitely an intentional process.Thanks for that peace filled thought.

Hey Sheila,My pleasure!The message at church yesterday actually got me to thinking about this....when asking the question "what does God think of me?" I remembered C.S. Lewis writing this (and another really long bit--too long for me to post it here) about God wanting us to be perfect....wanting us to let Him make us perfect.